Gas pressure control system



- April 9, 1940. J. v. THOMAS GAS PRESSURE CONTROL SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb, 24, 1937 5 9 6 0 475 54W 6 Z 7 6 5 W W Y 7 7 7%? m m Hi 3 4 r 6 3 w E 4 7 7 3 47 5 7 05 7 .QVVIMW s N. n 4 a J 4 3 3 in van f'or.v

Jbh Thomas.

April 9, 1940.

J. V. THOMAS GAS PRESSURE CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Feb. 24, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [n ve n for.

John V: Thom as.

April 9, 1940. J. v. THOMAS GAS PRESSURE CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Feb. 24, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 n a 0 7 Z w w m h U T M Z m z 0 7 a 2 a A h a J T a W 0 i w 4 0 3 M, w 4 M 2 la /v 6 x W 552 2 i i 1.1111 g I x l u w a a 6%, w M

- I tem ultimately to be controlled, by communicat- 2,013,222, granted September 3, 1935, to me on,

Patented Apr. 9, me I UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE 2; 2,196,279 GAS PRESSURE CORTBOL' SYSTEM John V. Thomas, Altadena, OaliL, 'as'lignor to Natural Gas Equipment Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application February 24, 1937, Serial No. 127,436

.3 Claims. ici. 137-153) This invention pertains generally to regulators for controlling the operation or movement 7 of one part or unit in a pressure controlled system, in accordance with variations in what may be termed a reference pressure; for example, to control the operation of a valve that regulates the flow, through a gas or other fluid conducting line, in accordance with pressure variations of an extraneous fluid, or pressure variations in the fluid conducting line at the high pressure side of the valve. The invention is particularly ,concerned with apparatus of this character em- I ploying a pilot valve device that is responsive to variations in the reference pressure, and that regulates the operation of that part of the sysing thereto fluid pressure varying in accordance .with changes in the reference pressure. -Pressure control systems of this general type also comprise the subject matter of Patent No.

' Pressure control apparatus. I I

While the invention is capable of use for controlling the operation of systems of various types and character, it is particularly adapted for controlling the supply of. gas to gas fired steam boilers, and will hereinafter be described as having its preferred use for that purpose. One of I my primary objects is to provide agas flow regulator capable of controlling with close precision all, the various flow and pressure conditions in the 'gas stream required for the maintenance of proper boiler operation and control. In the operation of the usual regulator employed for this purpose, a valve in the burner gas supply line is made responsive to variations in the boiler steam pressure so as to increase the rate of gas feed to the burners when the steam pressure drops, and to close off or reduce the rate of gas supply to the burners when the steam pressureincreases to a predetermined maximum. It is a characteristic of all boiler gas supply regulators of which I am aware, that the gas control valve is affected in its operation only by variations in 0 the boiler steam pressure, and, consequently, that not until a given change in the system is manitested by an effect on the boiler operation, will the valve become responsive to make a compensating change in the rate ofgas supply to the burners. While it retains the characteristic feature of controlling the main gas valve in accordance with changes in the boiler steam pressure, the invention differs from and improves upon the ordinary'regulators in that it operates independently of the boiler steam pressure to control and maintain directly, certain limiting gas stream being fed I pressure conditions on the to the burners.

In accordance with the invention, the present regulator operates directly (as distinguished from via the boiler steam pressure) to maintain a predetermined minimumpressure on the gas feed to the burners, and also to directly and immediately compensate for pressure changes in the supply line at the high pressure side of the valve that ordinarily would result in variations in the burner supply pressure. The regulator has the added feature of maintaining, independently of the boiler steam pressure, a predetermined maximum pressure on the burner supply' gas. In addition to these features, the invention provides various improvements having particularly to do with the construction of the pilot valve, and which tend generally to improve the operation of the pilot valve with relation to the various other parts of the system.

The invention will be understood more fully and to better advantage from the following detailed description of the invention in certain typical and preferred forms. Throughout the description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the invention in the form of a regulator for controlling the flow and pressure of the fuel gas fed to boiler burners;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlargement of the pilot valve. mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of one of the pilot valve seats, as indicated by line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

and Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, showing a variational form of the invention.

For the purposes of description, the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 will be assumed to connect with a steam boiler and to regulate the flow and pressure of the gas being fed to the boiler burners, in accordance with certain varying conditions, as later explained. While the apparatus of Fig. 1 has its preferred use for boiler fuel control, it will be understood that the apparatus is also capable of use to control the flow and pressure of fluid (including liquid) I streams in other situations and for other purposes where corresponding or similar conditions movable vertically with relation to seats H and it formed within and as an integral part of the valve body I6. Plug I'I, having a bore I8 receiving the lower end of the valve stem I3, laterally supports and guides the stem in its vertical movement. Valve I2 is operated by fluid pressure applied to a main diaphragm I9 clamped between light-weight metal disks 20 to which the upper end of the valve stem is connected as at 2|. Diaphragm I9 in turn is clamped between sections 22' and 23 of a hollow casing, the lower section 23 of which may conveniently be made as an integral part of the valve body I6.

The gas pressure at the outlet side Ilia. of the valve I2 is communicated to the under side of diaphragm I9 by way of a suitable passage connecting with chamber 24, for example through holes 25 drilled through annular projections 26 within the reduced portion 23a of the diaphragm casing and valve casting. It is desired to communicate to chamber 24 only the static pressure of the outlet gas, and 'it may therefore be necessary to compensate for any added pressure due to the velocity head of the gas as it passes at relatively high velocity beyond the valve opening I4 directly below passages 25. For this purpose the outlet side of the gas line may be connected at a suitable distance beyond the valve, with the diaphragm chamber by way of line 21, the latter containing a valve 28 that may be adjusted to restrict the communication sufliciently to avoid the transmission of pulsating pressures to the diaphragm. Either or both communications 25 and 21 may be employed for connecting the diaphragm chamber with the main flow line at the outlet side of the valve.

As will later appear, the valve I2 is normally caused to operate in response to variations in the boiler steam pressure through the intermediary of the pilot valve mechanism and the main diaphragm I9. It is desirable however that certain operations of the valve I2 be made independent of the boiler steam pressure, and that to meet certain conditions, the valve be caused to respond to pressure changes in the gas supply line In by direct pressure communication therefrom to the diaphragm I9, as distinguished from pressure changes in the boiler steam pressure that may result from pressure variations in the gas line. As an illustration, in the operation of the I usual gas supply regulator, an abnormal pressure increase in the gas line at the-inlet side of the main flow control valve, corresponding to valve I2, causes an increase of pressure at the outlet side of the valve, which is the burner feed pressure. This condition then continues until the resultant increase in the boiler steam pressure, due to the heavier firing, acts through the regulator to close the gas valve sufficiently for the restoration of normal pressure on the gas feeding the burners. In accordance with the invention, diaphragm I9 is made directly responsive to pressure changes in line I0, so that valve I2 is rendered immediately responsive without the control having to operate through the boiler itself, so to speak, as is ordinarily the case. The valve and its diaphragm also are made directly controllable by the pressure at the outlet side of the valve in such manner that the valve is caused automatically to maintain a predetermined minimum pressure on the gas being fed to the burners.

Assuming valve I2 to be open and a sudden pressure increase to occur in line III at the high pressure side ID!) of the valve, the pressure at the outlet side Illa will also tend to increase.

Such pressure increase is communicated via passages 25 and line 21 to chamber 24, the increased pressure acting against the diaphragm to move valve l2 in a closing direction until the pressure at Illa is reduced to normal. This nor- 7 ,mal pressure will of course vary in accordance with the position of valve I2 as determined by the downward pressure on the diaphragm III. The latter is weighted in a suitable manner, as for example by means of one or a plurality of metal disks 30, to maintain a predetermined downward pressure on the diaphragm tending to open the valve. The weight on the diaphragm maybe adjusted relative to the pressure applied to its under side, so that assuming the gas pressure in chamber 3| to be relieved, valve I2 will remain slightly open to a position that will establish a predetermined minimum pressure on the fuel being supplied at the outlet side Illa to the boiler burners. In this manner, when the boiler steam pressure has built up to the maximum which the pilot valve is set to maintain, the gas supplied to the burners will not be entirely out ofi, but will be continued at a slow rate unde predetermined minimum pressure.

Diaphragm I9 and valve I2 are controlled and caused to operate in response to variations in the boiler steam pressure by way of a pilot valve assembly generally indicated at 32, and to which the boiler steam pressure is communicated via line 33. The pilot valve assembly comprises a body made up of sections 34, 35 and 36 which may conveniently, though not necessarily, be mounted directly on the main diaphragm casing by threading the lower end of body section 34 into the top wall 22 of the diaphragm casing, as illustrated. A pair of spaced diaphragms 31 and 38 are clamped between the pilot valve body flanged portions that are held together by bolts 39 and 40. The two diaphragms form with the wall of body section 35, an annular closed reference pressure chamber 4| with which the steam pressure line 33 communicates. Diaphragms 31 and 38 are separated by a tubular flanged spacing member 42 through which extends a tube 43 threaded at its upper end into the bore of plate 44, and having at its lower end a flange 45 bearing against ring 46. In this manner the diaphragms are clamped between the flanged spacing member 42, plate 44 and ring 46; and the entire assembly, including tube 43, is supported by the diaphragms so as to be vertically movable with the diaphragms.

By reason of the area difierential of the two diaphragms 31 and 38, the diaphragms and the parts carried thereby are vertically movable in response to pressure changes in chamber 4 I. Upward movement of the diaphragm assembly is yieldably resisted by spring 5|, and a pressure increase in chamber 4I raises the assembly against such resistance. Upon a reduction of pressure in chamber H, the yieldable resistance tends to move the assembly downward. Vertical movement of the diaphragm supported parts above and below the intermediate positions shown in 0 hollow screw 53 threaded through plug 54 in the upper end of the body. Bearings 55 are proaieaave vided to permit adjustment of screw II and the compression of spring 5i, without rotating theeral passage 51 drilled closely above the diaphragm 31.

Plate 44 has a center bore forming chamber 5. closed by a diaphragm 59 clamped in place by threading the inverted cup-shaped member into a counterbore in. plate 44, as illustrated. Diaphragm 59 carries a disk clamped to the diaphragm by a nut 6i threaded on the reduced central portion 62 of the disk extending upwardly through the diaphragm and drilled to provide a gas relief vpassage 63. I Disk 80 normally seats upon surface 64 of plate 44, and provision is made for communicating gas pressure through the bore of tube 43 to the under side of dia-. phragm 59, by forming radial ribs 606 (see Fig. 3) 'on the under side of disk 60. Upward movement of disk 60 from engagement with the plate surface 64 is yieldably resisted by coil spring 5 bearing against the lower end of screw 66 threaded through the top wall of member III and extending upwardly within the hollow screw BI.

The main diaphragm I9 is actuated to op-.

erate the valve I! by actuating gas pressure communicated to the actuating pressure chamber 3| under control of the pilot valve 32, from line 10, which it will be understood may connect with any suitable source of what may be termed pressure or operating fluid. In an installation such as I have illustrated, line 10 may conveniently be connected to the gas line ill 'at the high pressure side of the valve l2. A valve ll may be provided in line 10 to sufllciently restrict the communication of pressure to the diaphragm chamber to avoid pressure pulsations against the diaphragm due to sudden pressure changes in the gas line. The delivery of actuating pressure fluid from line 10 to the diaphragm chamber 3| to open the valve l2, and the release of pressure from chamber 3| to permit the valve to close, are controlled by an elongated valve 12 extending through the diaphragm carried tube 43. The upper pointed end 13 of the valve controls the release of gas through passage 63 in disk 80, and the lower enlarged end 14 of the valve, normally held against its seat 15 by coil spring 19, controls the flow of gas from line 10 into chamber 3| by way of clearance space 18 between the stem portion oi the valve and seat 15, chamber 11, and passage 18. The length of valve element 12 is such that when diaphragms 31 and SI, and the parts carried thereby, are in their normal illustrated positions, disk 60 will seat against the needle valve 13 to close passage I3, and valve II will engage its seat II! to close oi! the supply of gas from line 10 to the diaphragm chamber.

Upon downward movement of the assembly supported by diaphragms 31' and 38, the valve element 12 is moved downward by disk 60 against resistance of spring ll, unseating'vaive l4 and permitting gas from line 10 to enter the diaphragm chamber 3|. Reversely, as the diaphragm supported parts move upwardly, disk 60 is raised from engagement with the needle end 13 of the valve (valve ll remaining seated), releasing gas fromfchamber 3| through passage 18, chamber I1 and the clearance space 80 between the valve element 12 and tube 4!. Disk 60 also is movable upwardly away from the valve 13 independently of upward movement of the f diaphragms 31 and 38, when the gas pressure in chamber 8| below diaphragm 59 increases to the point of overcoming the resistance offered by spring 65. It will be seen that the relationship between the valve element .12 and the diaphragm supported assembly issuch that the slightest downward movement of the diaphragms l1 and 38 below their normal illustrated positions will cause valve 14 to unseat, and that the slightest upward movement of the diaphragms will raise disk 60 from engagement with the upper end 13 of the valve. In this way the operation of the pilot valve, and-the control. 01' pressure in the main diaphragm chamber 3|, are made extremely sensitive to variations in the steam pressure communicated to chamber ll.

In describing the operation of the system, it may beassumed that the boiler steam pressure corresponds to the maximum which the pilot valve is set to maintain, as determined by the resistance to compression offered by spring II. An increase in the boiler steam pressure above this maximum results in upward deflection of diaphragms 31 and 38 due to the increase in the pressure difl'erential on the diaphragms. The corresponding upward movement of 7 plate 44 raises disk 60 from engagement with valve 13, releasing gas from the diaphragm chamber 3| through the previously described passages and' venting the gas to the atmosphere through-opening 51 in the body section 36. As a result of the pressure decrease in the chamber 3|, valve I2 is moved in a closing direction to reduce the rate of gas flow through line ill to the burners. The release of pressure on the diaphragm H by the pilot valve occurs only for an instant, since immediately upon the reduction of pressure in chamber 11, spring 5| will return the diaphragm creasing the rate of gas supply to the boiler burners. Again, valve 14 remains open only for a brief time, since the pressure increase in chamber I1 will return the parts to their normal positions in which valve I4 will be seated by the action of spring 19.

The capacity of disk 60 for independent upward movement relative to plate 44 as a result of a predetermined pressure increase in chamber 81, provides a means of limiting the maximum pressure of the gas supplied to the burners independently of the boiler steam pressure. Thus, assuming the steam pressure to drop, the regulator will then automatically increase the gas supplied to the burners, but at the same time it will limit the burner gas supply pressure to a predetermined maximum. When valve 14 imseats to admit gas from line 10 to the diaphragm chamber in response to a pressure decrease in chamber 4 i, as previously explained, the gas pressure in chamber 8| acting against diaphragm 59 will increase corresponding to the pressure increase in the main diaphragm chamber 3|. Spring 65 is set to maintain a predetermined seating pressure on disk 60, and in the event the pressure in chamber 8| exceeds the spring resistance, disk 60 unseats to release gas through passage 63, thus limiting the pressure on diaphragm Hi, the maximum opening position of valve l2, and the pressure of the outlet burner supply gas.

In Fig. 4 I show a variational form of the invention embodied in a more simple form of regulater for maintaining in-a valve controlled gas line, a constant pressure at the outlet side of the valve. The general construction and mode of operation of this variant form are similar to the described boiler gas supply regulator, except that certain parts, such as the maximum burner pressure control adapting the first described form to its particular purpose, have been omitted. In Fig. 4 parts similar to and performing the same functions as the parts in the first described form, are designated by corresponding reference numerals. Since it is the purpose of the regulator in Fig. 4 to maintain constant the gas pressure in the outlet Illa, chamber 4| is connected with line In at the outlet side |0a of the valve by line 85. The particular constant gas outlet pressure which the pilot valve is set to maintain, is determined by adjustment of spring 86 which performs the functions of spring 5| in the previously described form. The upper end 13 of the valve element 12 is engaged by a seat 81 carried directly by plate 44, upward movement of the seat from the valve releasing gas through port 88 to the atmospheric vent 51.

As gas pressure in the outlet |0a tends to increase, the communication of the increased pressure to chamber 4| causes seat 81 to raise from engagement with the valve 13, relieving the pressure in diaphragm chamber 3| and thereby causing the valve I2 to close slightly, the valve closing pressure on the diaphragm I9 being communicated to chamber 24 through passages 25. When the pressure in the outlet Illa decreases, the lowering of pressure in chamber 4| causes spring 86 to depress the diaphragm supported parts, opening valve 14 to permit delivery of gas from line 10 to chamber 3| to the point to which the increased pressure on the diaphragm I9 will open the valve I2 to the extent required to restore the gas pressure in the outlet |0a to normal.

It is a characteristic and highly advantageous feature of both described forms of the invention, that the pressure in accordance with 'variations in which the pilot valve responds to control the operation of the main valve is communicated to a closed space (chamber 4|) between diaphragms, and from which no escape of gas can occur. This same arrangement avoids any necessity for the use of stufling boxes or other such means ordinarily required to seal relatively moving parts of regulators against gas leakage. The invention has the further advantage of providing in a relatively simple and compact regulator,

controls fora number of individual conditions, all

.as explained in the foregoing, with each control capable of precision operation within close limits.

I claim:

1. A pilot valve mechanism including an operating member movable in opposite directions, conduit means leading from a source of fluid pressure and including a stationary valve orifice and seat, a yielding pressure responsive member carried by said movable operating member and exposed to the fluid pressure in said conduit to be moved thereby relative to the operating member, a venting valve orifice and seat carried by said pressure responsive member, a valve member cooperating with and adapted to seat upon both said valve seats and adapted to be unseated from one or the other as said operating member moves in one direction or the opposite, and means for applying to said yielding pressure responsive member an adjustably variable yielding force opposing its movement by fluid pressure.

2, A pilot valve mechanism including a chambered body, two spaced pilot diaphragms of different areas enclosing between them in said body a reference pressure chamber and one of said diaphragms forming with said body a separate actuating-fluid pressure chamber, structure including a pressure responsive diaphragm forming a fluid pressure chamber carried by the other of said pilot diaphragms, conduit means leading from said actuating-fluid pressure chamber, a fluid pressure passage in the body leading to said actuating-fluid pressure chamber and including a valve orifice and seat, a tubular member carried by and extending through said two pilot diaphragms and the chamber between them and having one end open to said actuating-fluid pressure chamber and the other end open to said diaphragm-carried chamber, means carried by said pressure responsive diaphragm forming a valve seat and a venting orifice, means for applying to said pressure responsive diaphragm an adjustable force opposing its pressure responsive movement, and a valve member extending through said tubular member and having parts co-operating with and seating upon each of said valve seats and adapted to be unseated from the flrst mentioned seat by movement in one direction and from the second mentioned seat by movement of that seat in the opposite direction.

3. A pilot valve mechanism including an operating member movable in opposite directions, a relatively stationary valve seat, a valve seat carried by said movable operating member, conduit means leading from a source of fluid pressure and including one of said valve seats, a venting conduit means leading from said operating ,member and including the other of said valve seats, a valve member cooperating with both said valve seats and operated by movement of said movable operating member in one direction to lift from one of said valve seats and by movement in the opposite direction to lift from the other of said valve seats, and pressure responsive means associated with the valve seat which is in the venting conduit, said pressure responsive means being movable relative to said operating member for allowing said valve seat to disengage said valve member at a predetermined pressure.

JOHN V. THOMAS. 

